Completed Sun and shade

[Ivan Skender]

Tell Arran - The Imperial-Anirian border.

It was nearly twilight. The Sun, though well past its prime, still shone brightly over the horizon, glimmering in-between the clouds and intermittently casting its rays upon the city below. Tucked away in one of the many narrow mountain valleys that rose as the Fel Draza peaks gave way to the vast wastelands of the Amol-Kalit desert, the fortified city of Tell Arran stood on those final stretches of bumpy terrain, before the rock passed on to sand.

A way-stop for caravans making their way to Aniria, Alliria, or beyond, Tell Arran was a popular spot for merchants and convoys, and its markets were, at any given time, awash with travellers from far and wide that sought to exchange whatever wares they carried for others that would fetch a higher price somewhere else.

Of course that, in the midst of all the bustling of traders and peddlers, there were bound to be those whose motives were not so… legitimate.

Seemingly alone among the crowd, a passer-by made his way through the narrow streets of the market quarter, ignored by most of the other shoppers that made their way to and fro the myriad shops and stands the markets of Tell Arran had to offer. Clad in a non-distinct outfit of a desert nomad, he donned a dirty-white tunic, accompanied by a cloth mask that covered the lower half of his face and a hood that kept all but a handful of the most stubborn strands of his blonde hair out of sight. All in all, though a few spots of his appearance could appear misplaced - not least of all, the fact his complexion seemed a bit too pale when compared to the rest of the native Kaliti - one would have to take a long look at the lone stroller to deduce he seemed rather out of place here… one long look none of the busy market-goers seemed to dispense to him, at least so far.

Ivan had arrived in the city that same day in the morning. He’d rented out a room at a shoddy inn on the periphery of the market quarter, and had immediately set out to work. His task here was to investigate a rumour about an Imperial army massing on the Anirian border, that had filtered its way up to Vel Anir’s high command. Though they had remained at peace for the time being, the Republic still deeply mistrusted the Empire, and so the possibility of an army massing on its border - even if stemming from a simple rumour - warranted an investigation.

Laying fairly close to the Fel Draza mountains, and the Anirian border by extension, Tell Arran had seemed like a good place to start. It lay on a busy, strategic junction point for those travelling from Amol-Kalit to Aniria, and its markets were the perfect place to eavesdrop on whatever strange tales might be circulating. Large armies had a tendency to get noticed, after all.

So it was that he went on, unperturbed by those around him, all the while listening intently to the conversations around him. While his knowledge of Kaliti was enough to enable him to understand the conversations around him, his spoken skills were far less impressive, with him having a rather perceptible Anirian accent when speaking. That had been why he'd made it a point to assume an identity as a Cortosi traveller. His Cortosi was far better than his Kaliti and while he did have a slight accent, most people just identified it as that of some hopeless hick from the Cortosi mountains. So far the ruse had worked; he could only hope it would continue to do so.​

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Never did she think she would be trusted with a scouting mission so important as this, given that all she was able to do was be a living compass and track down whatever was asked of her. Foolishly, she had asked whether their faith in her had been misplaced, and that they meant for her to be on another mission that was more suited to her level as Dreadlord Initiate. She knew not to press further after they asked her three simple questions: Do you speak and understand Kaliti? Are you familiar with riding a horse? And finally, do you know Ivan Skender?

It was not a well known fact by her peers or Proctors, save for her file, that Livia Quinnick was well versed in several languages, as was taught to her from a young age. It was a requirement of every Quinnick to learn, to be able to converse and makes trading the family spices and flowers that more easier. She was also an excellent rider, able to keep herself seated on a horse that definitely did not want her there and able to settle the horse, no thanks to her elder brothers taunting her horse for years growing up before coming to the Academy.

And Livia knew of Ivan as an acquaintance, working with him in the Taskforce also.

It did not matter if she knew or not the person she was meant to make contact with, her diving magic would eventually lead her to them. He would have made it to Tell Arran a few days before her, but Livia did not wait to simply find him. Whatever story he was using here did not need to be compromised by her, and so simply, the way for this to work was to have him stumble upon her.

Livia only knew how to blend in by leaning on her noble upbringing. She was dressed for the harsher conditions out here by the border, her unmistakable brown hair with white ends tucked underneath a wrapped scarf, but the pearls hanging at her pierced earlobes visible. Her dressing was of finer things, further showing she was of wealth.

"Have you seen this boy of my age? With dark hair and eyes richer than a clear blue sky?" She could be heard asking several merchants, all replying with a shake of their head or braving to respond back to the Anirian girl thay spoke with perfect clarity of their language. By keeping up pretenses of searching for a lover that had fled from his family and being the lovesick girl that followed, she had heard many of them pity the foolish girl for trvelling this far for someone that was most likely after her money.

And Livia also heard many mutter what they could do if they had a little extra coin. It was those that said this she would look into later while she canvassed the marketplace, testing the responses she would get after asking the same question she had not deviated from.

It was with her magic that she knew Ivan was near, not needing to turn her head to see him some feet away. Livia had been pretending to browse the wares of several silk scarves sulkily after the merchant told her she needed to return home and forget the boy that was clearly not a good match for her.

"Maybe it is me that is not a good match for anyone." She mumbled to herself in her mother tongue, lifting a scarf and wrapping it around her head to inspect the reflection in the mirror, giving Ivan an unmistakable look at her in his own time.


Ivan Skender

 

[Ivan Skender]

That first day turned to night in a hurry, with the darkness then giving way to day again. All in all, no more than a couple of days had elapsed since that first foray of his into the Tell Arran markets, before he found himself braving the exact same streets once more. In that time, while he'd failed to get any certainties about the presence - or lack thereof - of an Imperial army in the immediacies of the Anirian border, he had gotten some promising leads.

One of them was Hassan al-Eraz, a merchant of textiles which, according to rumours, had, in the past, supplied soldiers' garments and apparel to local nobles, as well as - more recently - to Imperial army officials. If an army was indeed waiting in the surroundings, then Eraz was a likely point-of-contact for army officers looking to outfit themselves and their soldiers.

Ivan had been working on the man since he'd gotten that piece of information; a process he was looking to continue that day, as he headed to Hassan's stand.

As he got there, the first thing he noticed however was not the middle-aged Kaliti merchant, but rather the elegantly dressed young woman that seemed to browse al-Eraz's silks and textiles. 'Seemed' really was a crucial word though, as Ivan soon recognized Livia Quinnick - his partner for the mission - underneath all the fine cloths and jewellery.

He walked into the small store that extended past the street stand into a tiny, mud-brick house just in time to hear Livia's comment in Anirian. The dramatism nearly brought a smile to his face, though he quickly suppressed it for fear of raising suspicion. Once inside, he took a long look at the girl, feigning curiosity at the Anirian-speaking noblewoman.

- "Who's the Anirian?" - He asked Eraz in his accented Cortosi. As he walked past Livia, he gave the girl a... questionably long look, one that would give the merchant an impression that his intentions were far more dubious than they were in reality.

- "Out of your league, Cortosi, that's what she is." - al-Eraz replied in an even more accented Cortosi, waving his hand towards the blonde, before continuing. - "She's some lost noble, looking for some boy she cares about." -

- "Tsssss," - He hissed. - "you can tell her that if she wants to care for a real man instead, she can come and look for me at the black camel inn." - He completed in a rather vulgar tone, earning a fulminant look from the merchant. Of course his main goal with the statement hadn't been to harass Livia, nor to antagonize the merchant by chasing away his customers, but rather to furtively provide his partner with means to find him later, if needed.

- "She's out of your league, Cortosi." - The merchant reiterated, just before adding: - "Though with a new outfit, you might just get lucky..." - And there it was, the killer instinct of the merchant. As Hassan went to the back of the store, undoubtedly to fetch some overpriced piece of silken cloth, Ivan walked closer to Livia.

- "Welcome to the Empire." - He told the girl, very quietly, in low Anirian. - "Can you help me with him? I think he may have something." - Soon enough the merchant would return, and Ivan was fully bent on snatching whatever intel - if any - the Kaliti had on the Imperial army away from him.​

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Cortosi was a difficult one for her to learn, but after her mother had hired a Cortosi gardener to help tend to the famed Quinnick estate gardens, she began to learn by speaking the words she used most in Anirian. She had pestered them as a child, until she could listen in on the mutterings that none else could understand. It had delighted her then.

Hearing the words Black Camel Inn almost made her face turn in disgust, now coming to the realisation that comfort and luxury on a mission like this would not be absolute paramount. She could throw her money around and get herself something worthy of her station but that was not why she was here. Clear instructions were made to meet with Ivan, to aide him in this mission to procure intelligence needed to report back home.

And so when he finally made contact, Livia had been admiring a scarf that went well with her complexion, having returned to the alluring golds, greens, and blacks on the soft fabric. "I think you are sweeping him off his feet with your suave words, Skender." She answered in return, scarf obscuring her mouth. It took a lot to bite her tongue and not say "Real men always lie about themselves being real men," Yet this was no time to bicker. When the merchant had returned, Livia's face lit up with delight, facing him and calling for his attention before he spoke with Ivan again.

"How is this silk much finer than anything else I have seen? You must be a well sought after trader and merchant, are you not?" Her hand went into her pocket and grabbed a fistful of coins to begin counting out the advertised price she had seen. She did so slowly, taking the time to place each piece onto the counter before him and continuing to speak while working out the foreign money. "I like to spend money on friends that offer just what I need, and you have quite the assortment here." She spared a glance at Ivan, meeting his gaze that lingered on her and managed to falsify the reddening of her cheeks. Averting her olive eyes back to the finished pile of coins on the counter, she returned the rest to her pocket. "My family have friends here in the Empire. We trade in flowers." Livia gave a quick smile Ivan's way before lowering her voice, as if Ivan could understand. "If they hear that I am here in Tell Arran, they will surely have someone come to drag me back to Vel Odren. Please. Can you help me find the boy I am looking for? I cannot leave without him..."

The innocence and softness she displayed on her face, in her cadence, it suited her, but those that knew Livia would be able to tell it was a farce. The Academy helped her hone the indifference her mother had taught her to master, to never let anyone see what she was thinking... what she was feeling.

An innocent face and a cry for help, how many would be disarmed by this display?

 

[Ivan Skender]

A slight smile tucked at the corners of his lips at Livia's quip. He wouldn't have any time to reply however, as al-Eraz soon re-entered the storefront.

Carrying a handful of silk and cotton cloths, the merchant spent the next few moments eagerly listening on Livia's every word with apparent, unbroken interest. Ivan, however, had spent enough time swindling and slighting during his time at the Academy to recognize a con artist when he saw one. True to his apparent cunning, al-Eraz offered Livia a sympathetic look, though his eyes betrayed the burning desire he undoubtedly felt as he saw the girl place her gold on the counter.

- "Do not worry yourself, child." - He said, his tone as soft as the silk Livia had been admiring just moments prior. - "You are perfectly safe in Tell Arran, though I would tell you again to forget about this boy, and go back to your family." - The merchant let his gaze linger on the coins for a moment longer, before his attention was drawn to Ivan's curious expression from the other side the shop. He waved dismissively towards the blonde.

- "She's babbling on about the boy, and her family's business in the Empire." - He told Ivan, again in Cortosi. - "No doubt trying to curry favour for cheaper silks. Now, if you'll excuse me, Cortosi, I have actual, paying customers that need my attention." -

Ivan let a chuckle escape his lips. "Not bad, Quinnick." - He thought to himself. Her blabbering about her "strained familial contacts" had given the blonde an idea.

- "You know," - He said, approaching the merchant, as he feigned interest in the few wares Hassan had brought from the back of his shop. - "if her family does have business in the Empire," - He continued, his tone low enough that it would sound to the merchant as though he was trying to be dissimulated, though still loud enough for Livia to hear. - "they would probably look favourably to whomever brought her back to them." - His ice-grey gaze deviated towards Livia's coins, which lay on the counter. - "They do seem to be loaded." -

The merchant seemed to perk up at the suggestion. - "Excuse me for a moment." - He told Livia, as he pulled Ivan to a corner, pretending to show him a number of cotton shirts. - "And I suppose you'd want a cut of that?" -

Ivan raised his hands, showing his palms to the merchant with an innocent expression stamped on his face. - "I am just a simple traveller, trying to make a living... and those silks would make a nice replacement for my tattered rags." - He said, as he motioned to his own clothes with an overly-dramatic flourish. - "Though I cannot do it on my own. If an Anirian noble sees me holding his daughter hostage for a ransom, he'll shoot me on the spot. I need someone... legitimate to accompany me, but surely, a citizen of importance such as yourself will be able to arrange such a liaison?" -

The merchant's expression turned pensive for a moment. With a long look, he studied the "Cortosi", undoubtedly trying to figure out if the deal offered was worth his while. - "And if I need to do all of this, why would I need you?" - He asked Ivan after a while.

- "Because," - The blonde replied - "as a trader you know how much trouble a hostile insider can be. Plus, a man in your... position could surely use someone to do the dirty work for him when need arises." - At that al-Eraz withdrew for a while longer, evaluating the final aspects of the situation.

- "Very well." - He said at last. - "I don't trust local officials. There is no atabeg in Tell Arran, and the local guards are crooks, but, I do have some connections in the army, as I have supplied many of their officers. One of them should be stationed close-by. Take the Anirian to the Abtati ruins to the West. I'll arrange for a meeting." - With that he looked around, taking a specially long look at Livia, to ensure she remained oblivious.

- "I'll snatch her tonight, somewhere away from your store. I will head to the ruins then." - He stated seriously, right before letting his features ease into a sly smile. - "It was a pleasure doing business." - Ivan continued. - "Now, about my payment..." -

- "Pfft." - The merchant waved dismissively towards the blonde once again. - "I'll offer you a piece of silk now as a token of goodwill, Cortosi. When and if you return, I'll give you your gold payment, together with any clothes you may want." - The merchant offered his hand, which Ivan took in a handshake. The blonde looked around, feigning interest in the pieces the merchant had on display.

- "Do you have anything in indigo?" - He asked, triggering a raised brow over a curious look from the merchant.

- "Indigo? Uhh, yes I think I may have in the back. One moment." - And with that Hassan vanished again to the back of the store. As he did, Ivan slid next to Livia once more, whispering to her in Anirian.

- "You heard the plan? Meet me tonight on the back alley behind the inn." - He paused, glancing bemusedly at his fellow initiate. - "I'd tell you to play the damsel in distress, but you already look the part." - ​

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Livia had busied herself by removing the old scarf she had wrapped around her head, replacing it now to adorn the new silk scarf she had just bought. She had looked herself in the mirror countless times, studying her body and correcting her posture when it came to holding form and grace. Dancing had trained her to assess herself, to appear mesmerized and captivated by her own reflection as the two others in the shop discussed in low tones, occasionally glancing her way.
She heard their conversation loud and clear, moving about the store to find another mirror. Here her back was to them, tucking loose strands of her hair back behind the scarf. The odd colouring was enough to make anyone familiar with the Quinnicks identify her, and her earlier claim for her family to have friends up this way held some truth to it. They would not approach her, not wishing to deal with the youngest Quinnick when it was her brother that was the Head of the minor noble house. The brains to the family business.
Her mind only drifted for a few seconds before registering the merchant disappeared to the back once again, and her olive eyes tracked Ivan's approach through the mirror's reflection before he was out of sight and by her side.

"I'd tell you to play the damsel in distress, but you already look the part."

"Oh, you have seen nothing yet. If you want a performance, I will give you one."

She could not provide another quip before the merchant returned, but true to her word, another facade had been thrown up by Quinnick.

"You will have to forgive me. I was never taught Cortosi... Thank you." Her feigned fumbling for pronunciation only added to her innocent charm. It had made sense for her to keep up her Kaliti fluently, now that it was revealed her family had friends in the Empire. Ego wanted her to prove she could indeed speak Cortosi, perhaps even sound like a native speaker, but her role had already been established. "What inn?" Gods, she was thankful that she knew how to sound as if the language was difficult for her to navigate.

The Initiate would stifle her eye roll as she forced herself to soften her expression, to let that guard drop enough to appear enamored by the taller Anirian. In her stare, she began to truly take in the appearance of Ivan Skender. Blonde and blue eyes, it was enough for her to look past him, but there was that cursed thought in her that stared a moment longer, ideally selling the scene of the noble girl noticing the other boy being pretty. They had barely interacted besides training with the Taskforce, and a few times she had seen him with Leander Urahil, but her gaze had always lingered on the taller blonde. The one she was surprised by during the dance.

And the words of a Proctor she had fought alongside echoed in her mind: I prefer blondes.

Livia's cheeks warmed, glancing now to the merchant. "He said the boy I am looking for is at some inn. My Cortosi is hopeless, and I believe that is what he said... can you translate for me?" It did not matter what the merchant thought, as long as she was able to sell that Ivan's plan to getting her alone was working. "Please?" She added in Anirian, faking the glimmer of hope in her eyes.

 

[Ivan Skender]

For a moment, the merchant's eyes shifted nervously between Livia and Ivan. The woman could understand Cortosi?!

This panic soon gave way to a more calm state of mind however, as the Anirian girl seemed to reveal herself as less-than-proficient in the foreign language. With an expression of forced, somewhat falsified calm - one that Ivan had seen so many times before at the Academy, just before something went terribly wrong - al-Eraz approached Livia with a demeanour as sweet as summer apricots. He took her hand tenderly.

- "Indeed, my lady." - He told her, his tone the same soft whisper as before. - "I needed to make sure that the individual our friend here encountered was, in fact, your lost paramour." - He shook his head sadly, in a rather over-acted performance. - "I would not want you to head blindly into trouble." -

He motioned for Ivan to approach, which the blonde duly did.

- "My Cortosi friend saw a boy that matched the description you gave me." - The merchant continued. - "Unfortunately however, it would seem the young man is residing outside of town, and so a journey will be strenuous to undertake during the day. My contact however," - al-Eraz went on, motioning towards Ivan. - "has agreed to escort you to him after nightfall, when it will be cooler and better suited to travel. If you will meet him tonight where he is staying, just behind the black camel inn, he will gladly take you to your lost soulmate." -

He nudged Ivan on the shoulder, with the blonde giving Livia a slight bow of the head, as if on cue.​

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Livia gave them both her best, dazzling smile. It then turned to a look of appreciation and hope, Quinnick selling the story of hopeless and clueless without flaw. "Tonight!" She exclaimed in Kaliti, squeezing the hand of the merchant.

"I must... I should bathe and refresh myself..." She wandered from them both, giving them time to speak covertly if needed. One last look in the mirror, one last adjustment of the dark hair that constantly fell into her face. "And perhaps a bite to eat. Is there somewhere you recommend one to eat, sir?" Livia asked, not turning around to give them time to communicate if needed.

"Believe it or not, the Black Camel Inn has a fine selection. That way you need not wander far before meeting our friend here." al-Eraz nodded to Ivan, and Livia smiled sweetly once more.

"Then I must thank you for your generosity and your help. Here, something extra to show my gratitude." She left a few more coins on the counter before turning and exiting the building, smiling at the others that littered the marketplace.


By the time Ivan would find her, sunset was on the horizon. She had secured herself a quiet corner, where sheer curtains shielded her from view from the rest of the room of diners and more mature entertainment. She had checked this was not one of those sort of inns, and ruled it as a place that had lax rules on etiquette.

Livia was enjoying her fruit platter and wine when one side of the curtains moved.


Ivan Skender

 

[Ivan Skender]

As Livia admired herself in front of the mirror, a quick, sideways glance was all that was exchanged between Ivan and the merchant. No need for further communications.

Indeed, after Livia had left the store, it wouldn't take long for Ivan to follow suit, and after collecting his brand new indigo silk shirt he promptly walked out, showing no further reaction as he departed except a slight eye twitch at the sight of all that gold Livia had flung at al-Eraz.

"Kress, how wasteful... Fucking Quinnick."

Hours later, he would indeed find Livia at the Black Camel, though not in the way she expected. While the inn was not any sort of brothel, or other sordid house, it was not exactly a reputable place either. Drunkards, thieves, lechers and all manner of villainous characters abounded there and so, when the curtains moved, they parted to reveal an unwashed, one-eyed, rather disreputable-looking middle aged man. His beard was unshaven as well as unkept, while he also emanated a strong scent of beer mixed with horse excrement. He sat at the table, taking the seat opposite Livia, and commandeered an apple off of her plate while snatching her wine glass.

- "And what's a pretty thing like you doing all alone in here?" - He asked, his vulgar tone surprisingly similar to the one Ivan had used before at the store. - "You look like you could use some company." - He smiled at her, revealing a mouth missing more than a few teeth.

In the distance, leaning against a wall, and just outside of Livia's eyesight, Ivan watched the scene with an amused expression. He'd walked in just a few seconds prior and had found the rogue heading straight to Quinnick's table. While the blonde was ready to intervene in the case the girl needed, he decided to watch and wait to see how his partner would fare against this new inconvenient. ​

 

[Livia Quinnick]

The heat and the dryness by the border had been making Livia feel ill since leaving the textiles shop, and finding refuge that had wine and food was the only thing keeping her satisfied with the conditions of this mission.

She would never be in the mood to entertain anyone when her stomach insisted on a heartier meal.
Her jaw set, olive eyes piercing the male that intruded in her solitude. Gods, she will be needing a new wine glass.

"Best you leave while your ego is still intact." Livia warned, plucking a couple of grapes and placing them slowly into her mouth, regarding the man with a calculating look. He took it another way, leaning in closer and lowering his voice.

"You speak Kaliti well... what will you be screaming out when I have you? Kaliti? Anirian?"

"Right... second warning. Leave before I make you regret imposing on my wine."

He grinned, to which Livia recoiled from the unsightly display.

She needed to keep a low profile, to not stir up any thought that the Dreadlords were in these parts. As much as she wanted to not touch the man and scare him off with her magic, she also could not guarantee a perfect execution of wielding the temperamental power.

Picking up the cheese knife, Livia threw it past his head, the heavy thunk of it embedding into the wooden post behind him sung. Her divining power ensured his ear was safe, that her throws always landed at their precise target.

Alarm and anger filled the man's dark eyes, but Livia did not falter or back down. Her hand reached for her dagger, waving it lazily for him to stare at and make his own intelligent decision. The blade gleamed in the soft lighting, and the man thought better of the situation. He threw the wine at her, knocking the bottle on his way out, but Livia did not rise to the occasion. She simply looked down at herself, the decent clothes she acquired to blend in now stained with a red that clashed horribly.

Anger stewed inside of her, sulkily leaning back into her cushions and putting away her dagger.

If she happens to find this gentleman later, she was going to settle the score.



Ivan Skender

 

[Ivan Skender]

The scene unfolded rather quickly. It could not have been more than a couple of minutes after the man intruded on Livia's dinner, when Ivan saw a knife flying past him. After that it would only be a moment more until the thug walked out from his seat, leaving Livia alone once more.

It was then that Ivan bounced off of the wall he'd been leaning against, and made his way to Livia's table. As he crossed the tavern, he couldn't keep himself from tripping Livia's tormentor, as the two walked past each other. The goon was easily swept off his feet, landing face first on the sordid floor of the room. Ivan heard him swear something in Kaliti before standing up and facing off against the one that had tripped him.

This confrontation, though promising for the blonde, was not to be, as the thug quickly scampered backwards as he came face-to-face with the taller, more muscular Anirian. Tonight really was not his night.

As the commotion died down, and everyone else's attention focused back on their own private conversations, Ivan made his way to the counter. He asked for soukhal - a traditional, local dish of grilled beef and goat cheese - to be delivered to Quinnick's table, as well as for a fresh bottle of wine, which he took for himself as he finally made his way to Livia.

As he walked past the curtain though, he had to suppress a chuckle as he came face-to-face with the sight of Livia's wine-covered shirt. From his earlier perch, Ivan had not had a fully unobstructed view of the table, and so had missed the moment when the Kaliti had thrown the wine in the girl's face. As it was, he silently set the new wine bottle on the table, refilled Livia's glass with its contents, and poured some more of it onto the single glass he'd brought over from the counter.

- "Nicely handled." - He said encouragingly, before raising his brow on a decidedly more playful expression. - "Though next time do try and dodge the wine." - ​

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Livia glanced up at Ivan through her lashes, brows furrowed deeply into a scowl as he poured her another glass. At least this glass had not been the one the other man had drunk from, the very idea of sharing... anything with him turned her stomach. She peeled the wet linen from her skin with a sigh and rolled her eyes before reaching for a napkin to soak up the wine that found it's way onto her neck and face.

"If I had wanted to, I would have thrown knives to his face. Or even expel him with magic out from my vicinity." Liv grumbled, ignoring the state she was in. It was a good thing she had a change of attire in her room, although the appearance of wine stains would sell the story of a struggle once they meet the merchant later. Reaching for some cut up fig, Livia turned her attentions to Ivan.

"Well, how are we going to sell this? Going to drag me to meet with al-Eraz? Have me be clueless and follow like a lost puppy?" Her brows lifted with question, but the smile at her lips gave away her thoughts on the matter. "Or shall I be a weeping mess that you have tricked me into believing that my lost love was coming to my aide. Oh Leander! Please come save me!" Her voice had turned to a saddened tone, filled with anguish despite her face being indifferent.

"Also, do tell. Have you got a plan beyond trying to sell me off back to my family? Are we to try and turn him into a spy for us or continue our charade?"

Ivan Skender

 

[Ivan Skender]

- "All of them at once, I suppose." - Though his tone was semi-serious, Ivan still very much kept his amused expression, as well as playful demeanour. The idea of having another initiate play the helpless maiden was a rather entertaining one, though that was not exactly the crux of the plan. - "The man we'll meet tonight is not al-Eraz, nor anyone that reports to him. Instead we will be meeting an officer that serves in the Imperial army." - He took a sip from his cup, enjoying the mild burn the alcohol caused as it poured down his throat.

- "Our mission here is to investigate the existence of an army close to the Imperial border, and so, if the officer we meet tonight is not with that army to begin with, then he'll surely know about its whereabouts... if it even exists that is." - He played with his glass for a bit, turning it clockwise as he watched the red liquid within closely follow the cup's movement. His expression turning pensive for a moment, as he figured out a simple way of explaining the finer details of the plan to Livia.

- "You playing the part of damsel in distress will undoubtedly help, though the success of our mission will depend on whether we can extract the information we need from the Kaliti." - He took the glass to his lips once again, draining it of the last of its contents. He then poured himself some more wine.

- "As for al-Eraz, I doubt we'll be seeing him again. He's relying on me to take you home and return with a trade agreement." - It was a rather subtle notion, but as it stood, Hassan al-Eraz would be almost indifferent to the outcome of the mission. For the merchant, if indeed his "Cortosi" associate succeeded in his quest, then he would have the eternal gratitude of a seemingly powerful Anirian House. If not, well... he'd gotten gold from Livia and he'd lost a Cortosi thug he did not care all that much about. It had been a good trade-off, and one which did not require any further input from the textile trader. - "Also, tricking a merchant to do as we want is easy; turning him into a traitor to his country to be our spy is hard and risky. We have already gotten what we want from him. Better to leave him to his own devices." -

- "If all goes to plan, we'll gather information about this supposed army from the Imperial soldiers, all the while using them to get us safely back home." - His expression then changed again, as a wide, beaming smile unfurled across his features. - "Easy." -

Of course that, as he explained the mission, he also couldn't help himself from mocking his companion on her choice for the fake name of her "long-lost lover". He had, needless to say, picked up on it as soon as Livia had said the words, and immediately had put the picture together from what he'd seen from the Academy dance.

- "So don't worry Quinnick," - He said with a wink. - "you'll be back in Leander Urahil's arms before you know it." -

It was then though, that the plate he'd ordered arrived, with the waitress setting out a very large ceramic plate in between the two of them. A trio of large, grilled meat patties stood in the middle, while on the sides a mountain of pearly-white goat cheese, wheat-coloured hummus, as well as a handful of flat bread took over the remainder of the space. It was a very large portion, well enough for the two of them.

- "Though," - He said as he unceremoniously took one of the flat breads. - "it should be said that the journey, even if it goes smoothly, will be long, and I highly doubt the Imperials will have any proper rations that they'll be willing to give us. So, if I were you, I'd take something more than fruit while you can." -​

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Livia rolled her eyes at his comment on her borrowing Leander's name. In truth, there was more to it than just having him on her mind. He was not the only one, but she surely would not be telling the blond Anirian before her that. Instead, she offered him a wicked grin in response.

The arrival of a meal more heartier than her small fruits elicited a raised brow, gathering her curiosity by leaning forward from where she had been slouching, something she did not do often.

"Beef?" She tried not to sound disappointed, too picky with her preferences and be too privileged when she was here as an Initiate.

Livia watched him load himself up, gingerly going to follow his lead but give herself a smaller portion. She wouldn't need as much as he would; her diet before the Academy had been suited to lighter meals and often her larger meals with the Academy went without being finished. This time, she ate what she could. No need to argue his logic, although she certainly hoped this mission would not be as lengthy as Ivan had calculated.

She did her best to not look annoyed, her longing for Vel Anir a frightening one when she had been adamant on refusing to accept her feelings about a certain blond... and not the one Ivan believed her to be truly missing. Gods, she really did have a type.

In a silent salute to an old Proctor, Livia lifted her wine for a brief moment before drinking to Ebersol's health.

"Alright then... I will keep up the pretense. Am I going to be restrained?" Her face skewed with discomfort. "Because if so, keep it loose. I could probably use my magic to undo your binding and fight if it comes to that." Of course, she knew Ivan was well within his own power to do well alone. Livia would be the element of surprise if they needed it.


Ivan Skender

 

[Ivan Skender]

- "Yes, Princess. Beef." - He replied snarkily at the comment, as he loaded his flat bread with some meat and cheese. Livia Quinnick was a rather interesting girl for him, in the sense that she was a noble who hadn't grown up at the Academy. In other words, she was a noble that still very much behaved like a noble.

While there were undoubtedly other aristocrats back home - himself included, at least on paper - most of the others had, by virtue of the deprivations imposed on them since childhood, taken on daily behaviours that were very much similar to the rest of the student body. That is, they behaved more like rank-and-file soldiers than proper, well-behaved nobles.

Livia, on the other hand, with her fruit bowls, elegant clothing, manners and jewellery did have a tendency to contrast with her classmates.

Indeed, nowhere would she stand out more than here: the Black Camel inn, during a spying mission. While Ivan was not - to his credit - a bad meal companion, Quinnick would only have to look past the curtains to realise that she was a long way from Perrine Urahil's class on dinner table manners.

- "Better yes." - He replied, as he bit a chunk of the flat bread that he'd wrapped around some meat and cheese. - "But don't worry, some simple rope will do. You should be able to break it easily enough." -

He pushed down the meal with some wine.

- "No need to be nervous though." - He continued. - "As far as Academy missions go, this one looks like an easy one. You'll be home before you know it." - He said reassuringly, before adding with a grin: - "Not bad for your first time, eh?" - ​

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Being her first time out of the Anirian Territories, it was not as nerve wracking as she thought it would be when traveling all this way on her own. Livia was good at that, keeping her confidence up even in foreign environments, and finally able to use her Kaliti beyond speaking to those her parents had employed to work at the family estate. She was never invited to the dinners her father hosted to entertain other traders he partnered with, to speak their language and employ cooks from their home countries to further cement himself in their good books.

Livia retained the confidence even now, when it was just herself and her classmate.

"Not the first time I would have been tied up, Ivan." She knew how it sounded, but better he believe that imagination than the reality. Everyone was quick to forget that upon her arrival to the Academy, a few Initiates had broke into her room and bound her feet and hands, tying a blindfold over her eyes and smuggling her out from the grounds and deep into the Falwood. They taunted her, kept repeating stupid things before dumping her and telling her to find her way back.

They stopped after the third time she did that to her.

"Tie my hands, that is fine. Do not blindfold me. I need to see what is going on, in case anything goes wrong." It was known that Livia could hit every bullseye blindfolded, but what use was her divining magic when she could be the perfect lookout?

"Besides, I am enjoying being away from Vel Anir and the Academy. Just wish I did not have to get away from certain blonds and spend time with another." Here, Livia made a disgruntled face that melted into an amused expression. "And I do miss my bed. I just know whatever comforts they have on offer here are not as luxurious as my bed back in my dorm room." There was plenty to miss back home, but being exposed to such... normalcy outside noble family expectations was broadening for Livia. Finished with speaking for that moment, she lifted up the wrapped up beef and took a bite, chewing on the meat with a look of concentration.

Ivan Skender

 

[Ivan Skender]

He took a mouthful out of his meal, enjoying the rich flavour of the spice-infused grilled flesh. They were indeed a long way from the Academy and its bland, insipid food. As he pushed down the loaded flatbread with yet another glass of wine, he stared at his partner that had been talking throughout the last few moments.

- "Ouch." - He said, giving Livia that puppy-eyed stare he used to give girls, when he'd been younger, to make them feel sorry for him. - "Do you mean you don't like my company?" - Although the overall tone and direction of the conversation would make his sarcasm clear to Livia, his tone wouldn't. In fact, his voice was so disconsolate, and his expression so aggrieved that they made it look like he'd just gotten the gravest, saddest news one could imagine.

He shook his head, letting his features revert to a more bemused expression.

- "Don't worry Quinnick, I'm not Konrad Andern, I'm not going to blindfold you and leave you stranded in the desert." - While Livia had been right that most people forgot about her early ordeals - indeed, even Ivan himself had forgotten all about it until she'd mentioned it - that didn't mean the other initiates were completely oblivious to her torments. Again, late entries to the Academy, such as Livia, tended to be few and far between and so when one did come, it had a tendency to raise interest... and seldom was it the right kind of interest.

- "We don't need to be that extreme." - He said, still referring to the kidnapping act. - "A simple bind will do, and even then you'll probably be out of it in no time. I doubt the Imperials will treat a lost Anirian noble as a prisoner of war." - He took another bite out of his flatbread, adding still after:

- "Though I'm afraid there's nothing I can do about your bed. It'll be a rough couple of weeks sleeping on the road." - Whether or not Livia had brought her own bed to the Academy, Ivan did not know; however he did know there was no possible way that one would ever miss the stone slabs that passed for beds back home... Kress, even sleeping on the road sounded preferable.​

 

[Livia Quinnick]

"Do you mean you don't like my company?"

Liv rolled her eyes, not hiding the act before settling an unimpressed expression on her facade. It was hard to tell if it was a true emotion, or one thrown up to hide behind.

"Well, he got what he deserved." Hiding the bitterness was harder, her words given that extra bite as her gaze hardened momentarily. The name used to be a trigger, the anger that would roar inside her until her corrupting magic got out of hand. Being on the same taskforce as Ivan was probably the most rewarding training she ever got since joining the Academy.

It was learning how to control the magic that was forced upon her that gave her extra confidence in this mission. While she was years away from mastering the full extent, having any semblance of power over the foreign magic meant she would not hinder Ivan using his when the time came.

She had finished her wrapped portion of the meal before reaching to pluck another grape from the fruit platter, crushing the small thing and humming as the flavour exploded and oddly went well with the spices that coated the meat and lingered on her tongue. "Remind me, where is it that we are meeting this contact? What if he asks for my family name? Shall we be truthful and give him rightful answers or shall we see how quick on my feet I can be at creating a false identity?" Her lips perked upwards, amused at the idea of the part she will play later tonight. "Either way, I cannot wait to annoy you with incessant whining and complaining on the way there. Part of the act, of course."

It was her turn to wink now, the devious ideas forming and bringing forth a wicked grin.

Ivan Skender

 

[Ivan Skender]

A chuckle escaped his lips at Livia's quip.

- "Oh, of course." - He replied, with a grin. - "Otherwise, how could I ever live with myself, knowing I pestered her Ladyship so?" - His tone morphed into one of dramatic sarcasm so intense that one could have been forgiven for thinking he was actually in distress.

He shook his head, a sly grin still visible on his face.

- "We'll meet the Imperials at a ruin a few hours from here. An abandoned, ancient-elven place, I believe. If we're lucky maybe our escort will let us explore it for a bit before we leave." - He finished off his flatbread, and immediately started loading a second one.

- "As for the name it's better if you make a new identity for yourself." - He paused for a moment, admiring his meal. - "Not that I care all that much, but it's best not to get the Quinnick name involved on a stealth mission." - At that, he started nibbling away at his second flatbread. He'd finish it in a handful of bites, after which he would mimic what he had done before, and pushed the meal down with a glass of wine.

A rather long pause followed, during which he weighed the words he wanted to say.

- "Also, don't let Andern get under your skin. The past is the past." - He shrugged, having noticed the previous shift in Livia's voice. At the mention of the other boy's name, his tone and expression also seemed to grow a bit more sombre, with his playful smile dimming down a bit. - "Plus, as far as Academy pricks go, you could've gotten it much worse." - Indeed, though Livia had not been around for long enough to remember, the Academy prior to the Revolution had been a cruel and brutal home, and much more so then than it was now. It had been a place where sequestrating a colleague in the dead of night, only to abandon them in the wilderness, really was child's play.​

 

[Livia Quinnick]

"Also, don't let Andern get under your skin. The past is the past."

Her jaw set again as her gaze scowled at the fruit platter. With careful movement to lift a piece of sliced melon, she ate it before choosing to speak, as if she needed to determine what to say in response.

"Well, after I murdered his friends, I doubt anyone else would really bother me." It was all she would say on the matter, one glance his way to show how those deaths had weighed on her, but not anymore. She would do it again if it came to it. What she was now was a far cry from when she first attended the Academy, hardened by what was expected of the Initiates.

"I do look forward to seeing a place of such history." Liv quickly changed the subject back to the mission at hand, preparing herself a second portion of the bread and beef. "Actually has been quite fun to explore Tell Arran." To be away from home, the Academy... classes. Here she was able to explore the world nearby, the different cultures she only learned about in books. "And you are alright company." She snorted, throwing him a small smile before biting into her food.

He was right. It was best she fill up now while they still had the chance. In her room she had a bag packed with small food items that would do well for the road, treats she brought from Vel Anir on her journey this way. They would not last them both more than a few more days, unless she purchased more. Ivan was a seasoned Initiate on missions this far from Anirian Territories, and so perhaps she should take his word more seriously. Her stomach could not fathom another bite, but Livia did her best to work through the tender meat and eat slowly, so that she did not feel as if she were too full to move from their private corner.

"I guess I can think of a name on the way to the ruins... how much time we have before we need to depart?" Hopefully enough time to change into clothing not stained with wine, and a quick wash of her face as she could feel the splashed wine begin to stick to her fair complexion.


Ivan Skender

 

[Ivan Skender]

Ivan continued munching on his meal, as Livia seemingly tensed all over again, his gaze fully focused on his flatbread until he heard her conclusion on the topic of Konrad Andern. He lifted his eyes, his stare transfixed on that of the girl for those scant moments as he realised that that look he now saw on her features was one he'd seen many times before. More than that, it was a stare he knew fully well he'd given other people himself; it was the look of the murderer that had come to terms with the fact they were one.

Ivan wouldn't press Livia on that subject again.

- "You're not so bad yourself Quinnick." - He smirked, as the conversation moved on. - "But yes, these little moments during missions really are quite fun. You do as you please, with no nagging proctors, and no annoying lordlings around to tell you how to behave or what to do." - He finished the second flatbread, before reclining on his chair, wine glass in hand. - "You just get to be yourself, for a little while." - He mused, before refocusing his gaze on Livia.

- "It almost makes-up for all the shit you have to put up with outside of it." - Whether it was back at the Academy, or during all the unpleasant moments during the mission itself. - "And there's even a bit of money to be had, if you know where to look." -

He didn't think Livia would be too interested in that bit; people like her - or like Leander, the Luanas, and all the other actual nobles at the Academy - didn't really need the scraps that the initiates could sometimes salvage during the missions, but for him and his poorer colleagues, these really made a difference. Whether it was from extorting locals, ransacking abandoned temples, or looting conquered settlements, the few pieces of gold the initiates sometimes got during missions really were a boon for an otherwise rather austere existence.

- "Should take us a couple of hours to get there." - He shrugged. - "So don't worry, we still have some time before we have to leave." - He glanced over Livia's wine-stained shirt. - "You should have some time to change, just don't overdo it, Princess." - He winked at her, his face relaxing into a smug expression.​

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Ivan had piqued her interest when he mentioned money. It did not take too long for her to get his meaning, and he said so himself, that they had time before having to leave to make it to the meeting place.

Liv abandoned her meal, not having the stomach to finish it off.

"Well, we have time to go exploring." She gathered her things, wrapping the new silk scarf she had purchased - and thankfully no wine staining it - around her shoulders and pulled up over her head. "You have never gone treasure hunting with the Living Compass. Unless you do not want to have a little fun before things get moving again." It was clear she was baiting him, but she also did not give him much choice once she stood up and nudged him with her knee.

"I just need a moment to overdo things first." The wine was definitely sticking to her skin as it dried. No one bothered her as she made her way to her room, leaving the door ajar slightly if Ivan chose to follow. She ducked into the washroom, dipping a cloth into the water that was readily available from the bucket. Livia grimaced as the shirt peeled from her, throwing it into some corner before wiping herself clean. She had set her clean clothes to hang in wash room, anticipating a proper bath after dinner, but she had changed her plans. Perhaps that would be a luxury she will have to wait after all of this was done.

By the time she was dressed and back into her room, she saw the bed she had yet to touch. Looking at it from where she stood, she could not fathom how it could be a comfortable sleep, or even too hot to sleep with the thin sheets.

Picking up her boots, she crossed the room to sit on the bed. It felt firmer than her bed at the Academy, earning a frown from her as she leaned down to put her boots on.

Ivan Skender

 

[Ivan Skender]

He lingered around for a moment after Livia left, draining the last remnants of red wine from his glass. How had he ended up being bossed around by a girl?

He shook his head, an amused look on his face, before setting the glass aside and heading after Livia. Ivan had never been one to turn down free loot, and the prospect of treasure hunting with someone whose powers seemed to be specifically attuned for such a purpose was too good to pass up.

He followed her through the semi-open door and into her room, where he would find Livia halfway through changing.

- "Does your mother know," - He asked snarkily, his gaze lingering on Livia's half-dressed form for a moment longer than what was necessary, or indeed, proper. - "that you just leave the door open to strangers while you're changing?" - He shook his head, feigning shame. - "Doesn't sound like a lady-like behaviour." -

He took a seat on a small bench by the corner of the room, as he waited for Livia to finish changing. - "So what's the plan here?" - He asked. Usually, the way he'd found to consistently gather some wealth - apart from looting it that was - was to haggle with salesmen for wares that he knew could fetch a better price back home, pocketing the difference for himself. Ivan had always had a natural talent for these business practices, a skill that was - rather surprisingly - not honed by magic, but rather by natural talent. Somehow though, he felt that bartering with merchants was not what Quinnick had in mind.

Livia Quinnick​

 

[Livia Quinnick]

Livia made a face at his mention of her mother, before standing upright and packing the small bag she had brought with her from Vel Anir. It had a few bandages and salves, plenty of additional skeins for water, and food to nibble on for the journey to the boundary. She carefully placed change of clothes, cloths, and lastly her coin pouch into the pack.

"Modesty is for blushing virgins." She said simply, turning to look at him. Her gaze flicked down and trailed upwards in assessment of him, smiling once she met his eyes. "I also do not have my own bathroom in my dorm, and soon learned to not care who was looking. Besides, it is only natural to peek." Her first few months at the Academy left her bruised and sore from having to catch up to speed on the level of fitness they expected of an Initiate, and Livia only had strength that came from being a dancer.

Whatever Ivan had thought of her, she did not inquire. Securing the pack over one shoulder, she looked about the bare room as if she were checking to see if she were missing anything. "As a child, I would play games with my father and my brothers. We each had a treasure, something that we always kept on hand whenever we were home. The aim was to take the treasure from each of those in the game, and the first to be in possession of all the treasures would win before a new game could begin." The grin Quinnick directed at him was devilish. "You can imagine that I rarely lost."

Her brothers were clever, ans much stronger than her back then. They used their wits and strength to take back what Livia had taken. Her father, who only held a shred of the power of divining she could wield, used to play into his love for his only daughter. He would put her at ease, to the point the game no longer was on her mind.

"I won by knowing where they hid it. I studied them to the point I would figure out how to become in possession of their treasure. They were also creatures of habit." Livia held her hand out for Ivan to see. In her palm, resting between the fold lines, was a black pearl. They were not her favourite colour of pearl, but this very one was her first one she had opened up and discovered. She did not mind losing this, knowing her power would always bring it back to her somehow. If anything, she could not be rid of it.

"Well Ivan, are you up to play the game? Only, we are a team. The treasure is whatever you deem the prize each round."

Ivan Skender

 

[Ivan Skender]

He stretched lazily, getting up from his seat as he sensed Livia to be finished with her changing. As he did so, he felt the girl's gaze fall upon him, her eyes glancing up-and-down at his frame.

Funny, whenever he gave that look to someone, it usually meant he was about to beat them up.

‘Besides, it is only natural to peek.’

- “Well, I hope you found something you like.” - He quipped, clearly referring to Livia's glance. He then started heading for the door, though lingered on his step as the girl showed him the black pearl. He stood silent for a bit, his eyes transfixed on the small piece of jewellery, before his features suddenly lit up on a sly smile that seemed to reciprocate the one Livia had given him just moments prior.

- “I'm always up for a game, Quinnick.” - He commented smugly. - “Especially if it involves gold.” - A brooding expression flickered through his face for a moment, before making way for the return of his familiar, devilish smile.

- “Why don't we start with something simple? There is a goldsmith on the main street of the market. I'm guessing his shop should be closed by now; locked shut behind metal, stone, aaaaand maybe some magic." - His smile seemed to widen even more; the look on his face one of challenge. - "Can you find a way in?” -​